Food product colorant

ABSTRACT

Butter oil (anhydrous milk fat) is used as appropriate carrier of carotenal solution, formed of Excelcolor, for use as a colorant in food products.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a non-provisional patent application based upon provisional patent application having Ser. No. 60/172,693, filed on Dec. 20, 1999.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT. N/A BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates principally to the use of butter oil (anhydrous milk fat) as an appropriate carrier of carotenal solution for use as a colorant in food products.

[0003] As is known in the trade, natural carotenal is a somewhat seasonally available product, and this is significant in the availability of such compound when used in continuous overall production of food products. For example, the application of carotenal in the processing of American cheese is a primary example.

[0004] Hence, investigation has determined that when synthetic carotenal is well mixed with the natural beta carotene in a butter oil, and stored for thirty (30) days, the Excel colorant is a far more efficient colorant than the colorant derived from synthetic carotenal as made by the various chemical companies.

[0005] It is known that the units of vitamin A color derived from natural beta carotene in a pound of butter oil is approximately I.U. 17,025. The units of vitamin A color in synthetic carotenal is made available by Roche Vitamins, Inc., of Parsippany, N.J. 07054, in solution 73, and is 30% beta carotene and 70% Beta A.P.O. 8′ carotenal. This combination has an I.U. measurement of 12,167,200 of the total carotenal. Or, the beta carotene of the compound is I.U. 3.650,160, and the beta A.P.O. 8′ carotenal measures I.U. 8,517,040. If utilizing a cost analysis of the usage of the available compound, the use of said compound calculates at a cost of $1.386 per pound of butter oil, which computes to a cost of $0.00081409 per I.U. The cost of the Solution 73 available from Roche is $25.75 per kilogram, so in converting that cost per I.U., you calculate a cost of $0.00000095996 per I.U. While these costs per I.U. seem infinitesimal, one must recognize that, on the average, it takes 0.4 grams, or I.U. 10,720, of colorant per pound of processed cheese to develop the usually preferred color for the processed cheese. Hence, if you use thirty pounds Excelcolor with an I.U. 357,333 per pound, you have an I.U. 10,719,999, or the proper I.U. of carotenal for 1,000 pounds of processed American cheese. This would cost approximately $130.67 for Excelcolor.

[0006] If one utilizes the Roche Solution #73, the cost is $137.21, for 1,000 pounds of processed American cheese. Thus, there is a savings of $6.54 per 1,000 pounds of cheese. While this may seem insignificant, one must recognize that there are at least two companies currently in the United States that process and make over one million pounds of processed cheese per day. Hence, the usage of Excelcolor in the manner as described, would represent a savings of $6,540.00 per day, or over $2,000,000 per year, to the processor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0007] In referring to the drawing, FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the mixing vessel and high speed mixer, plus flow lines, for use in preparation of the Excel color composition of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0008] The foregoing analysis of the use of synthetic carotenal, such as the Roche solution #73, is notwithstanding the phenomenon that in usage of the current invention it has been determined that when synthetic carotenal is well mixed with natural beta carotene, in butter oil, and stored for thirty days, the Excelcolor is a far more efficient colorant, than the solution #73, as used by itself.

[0009] In making Excelcolor, it has been found that mixing it with Solution #73 in proportion within the butter oil, with a high intensity mixer, is a very satisfactory way to intensify its coloring ability. It has also been determined rather important that the Excelcolor be added for thirty days. The reason for this is that the increase in coloring appears to be enhanced because while the carotenal crystals are finely milled, they are still more finely dispersed by the dissolving process in the natural carotene environment, allowing a finer visual reception of the color, thereby becoming a more efficient colorant.

[0010] It is also important to note that since Excelcolor is less concentrated, by this method of production, the large users using preblending techniques get a more homogeneous color prior to the cooking operation.

[0011] An example of the Excelcolor product, and its processing, as used in this invention, is as follows.

[0012] An example of the usage of the current invention in the processing of cheese, the following information is provided.

[0013] The use of this development in processed cheese may be varied to arrive at the desired color, required by the manufacturer, or preferred by the customer. However, the preferred average color would require approximately 30 pounds of Excel color, combined in each 1,000 pounds of processed cheese. Excel color is the final formulation for this composition as explained herein.

[0014] Since most big processors usually preblend the ground cheese, and some of its minor ingredients, such as salt, emulsifying sales, and color, in large blenders, it could be put into that blending premix in larger quantities, and hence facilitate a homogenous mix going into the cooker. The average time required to cook the cheese is approximately six minutes, and you maintain violent agitation while heating the ground cheese and other minor ingredients to 170° F.-180° F., for discharge into a cooker receiver.

[0015] Any actual mixing, of the composition, 4,000 pounds of butter oil, at 160° F., containing I.U. 68,100,000 beta carotene, is put into a vat In addition, 110 pounds of the Roche solution #73, at 160° F., containing I.U. 401,500,000 units of beta carotene, and I.U. 936,800,000 APO8′ carotenal, are mixed into the vat. This provides a batch of the above stated ingredients in the amount of 4,110 pounds, The vat has a high speed Hi Sheer Mixer, and mixes the composition for 30 minutes. Following this, the mixture is pumped into a 400 pound steel drum and is stored for 30 days at ambient temperature, as in a warehouse. It is this mixture that is then mixed with the various cheeses to make processed cheese for preparation of the cheese for packaging and marketing.

[0016] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the drum 1 is disclosed, the mixer 2, having a blade at its lower end 3 to produce high sheer mixing, is also disclosed. The incoming lines 4, as for the butter oil, and 5, for the Roche solution, are also disclosed. The bottom of the drum is inclined, as at 6, to provide for ease of flow of the mixture into the pipeline 7, which is pumped by the pump 8, and transferred into the 400 pound steel lined drums 9, to complete the mixing process, and to provide for storage.

[0017] Variations or modification to the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the invention as described herein. Such variations, if within the spirit of this development, are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention as defined. The description of the preferred embodiment, particularly as set forth in examples, is done so for illustrative purposes only. 

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
 1. In the method of making processed cheese, initially combining a premix of butter oil, a quantity of beta carotene, a quantity of carotenal, and mixing said composition together in a mixer, mixing said mix in a mixer for approximately 30 minutes, storing said mixture for a period of approximately 30 days at ambient temperature, to provide a cheese premix.
 2. The method of claim 1 and including cooking a batch of processed cheese within a cooker, significantly agitating said cooking cheese, adding a quantity of the said premix into the cooker while agitating the cheese, cooking the mixture for approximately 6 minutes, at a temperature between about 170° F.-180° F., and then pouring the mixture into a mold for cooling.
 3. The method of claim 2 and wherein the premix includes a composition of approximately 4,000 pounds of butter oil, at 160° F., and containing a large quantity of beta carotene, adding to said mixture approximately 110 pounds of Roche Solution No. containing beta carotene, at approximately 160° F., and adding into the mixture a quantity of APO8′ carotenal, and mixing said butter oil, beta carotene, and carotenal within a mixture to provide a batch of approximately 4,110 pounds of said mixture.
 4. A composition of a premix of synthetic carotenal and beta carotene for use as an additive to process cheese, said mixture including, in proportion, the following ingredients by weight: Butter oil 4,000 pounds Beta Carotene and Carotenal   110 pounds

wherein said mixture is blended, stored, and mixed with processed cheese to add coloration to the cheese during processing. 